Massachusetts Principal Sends Home Permission Slip For Students to Recite Pledge of Allegiance … This is Still America?

This is still America, is it not?

The Edward Devotion School, a Brookline, Massachusettes school initially sent a permission notes home to parents for their children to opt out of the “pledge of alligiance”. Reciting the pledge to the country where you are a citizen of andf are going to school is potentially offensive? Really? Why are we not shocked that this occured in the deep blue state of Massachusetts. At least they didn’t arrest any one for drawing a US flag with a Sharpie, that we know of.

A Brookline school is now saying permission slips won’t be necessary for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Edward Devotion School, which has not recited the Pledge of Allegiance in seven years, will say the Pledge over the school’s intercom once a week beginning next month.

Gerardo Martinez, the school’s principal, initially said the permission slips were sent to encourage parents to have a discussion with their kids about the Pledge.

The principal also says he sent this note out to parents just to let them know it was okay if they do not want their kids to participate.

Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit

 

School sends home permission slips for Pledge of Allegiance: MyFoxBOSTON.com

This is the original letter sent to parents earlier this week by princiapl Gerardo Martinez :

Dear Devotion Families,

Many of you are aware that Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, Section 69, requires a flag to be displayed in each school classroom. This law also requires classes to be lead in a group recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Public Schools of Brookline policy provides that this recitation may take place weekly.

Additionally, as part of that Massachusetts History/Social Science frameworks and the Brookline Learning Expectations (BLE) there is a learning objective that students be able to “Demonstrate understanding that there are important American symbols by identifying … the words of the Pledge of Allegiance.”

In order to meet the state legal mandate for public schools and to support our learning expectations, I will, once a week, as part of my morning announcements, recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Classroom teachers, as with any announcement, will bring the class to silence. Students and teachers may choose to stand and recite the pledge but are not legally required to do so.

Under our Constitution, neither teachers nor students can be mandated to participate in this exercise. This is each person’s personal choice. I urge you to have a conversation as a family to help your children understand why I will be reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and to support them in feeling comfortable and confident in the decision on whether or not to participate.

Whatever decision you and your child make will be fully respected. Please fill out the section below and return to your child’s homeroom teacher. I anticipate that we will begin recitation of the Pledge after the New Year.

On a personal note, I am proud to be a first generation Cuban American and I appreciate the opportunities my family has found in our great nation.